“I heard him cry and I just hoped it was all over fast, because you don't want [to] hear that. You don't want to hear something like that,” Bennett said.

Bennett was walking Buddy near a bike path off Chestnut Street when she saw a man that she said has a history of taunting the dog.

“I had just made a comment to him, ‘John, you know how Buddy feels about you. Stay away from him,’” said Bennett.

Bennett said the dog was wearing a choker and a short training leash, but when the man passed her, he got very close.

“Buddy grabbed his pants, and that's when Buddy wouldn't let go,” said Bennett.

Two police officers on bike patrol were just down the road.

“She was attempting to pull the dog off,” said Capt. Bruce Hansen of the Nashua Police Department. “The officer went over and attempted to grab onto the leash and pull the dog off as well, but that wasn't being accomplished.”

Hansen said the officer was worried about the man and fearful the situation would get worse, so he shot the dog.